Fernandes questions Carrick’s tactics as Man Utd suffer 4-1 defeat to Como

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has questioned Michael Carrick’s tactical decisions after the Red Devils suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Como in the UEFA Champions League, raising fresh concerns over the manager’s ability to turn around the club’s fortunes.

Fernandes criticised United’s passive approach to pressing, arguing that the team allowed their Italian opponents too much space and time to control Wednesday’s encounter.

The Portuguese midfielder suggested that United should have pressed higher and taken greater risks to disrupt Como’s build-up play rather than allowing them to dictate the tempo.

“It is the coaching staff’s decision not to press man-to-man and, in trying to win the ball, sometimes leave space in behind. But if you give teams like that space, they gain more and more confidence,” Fernandes said after the match.

He added that the coaching staff needed to examine the team’s shortcomings, insisting that United should have shown greater courage under pressure.

“Sometimes you have to be braver when you’re under pressure. You have to take the risk of pressing high and make it difficult for the opposition,” he said.

Fernandes pointed to Como’s aggressive approach as an example United should have followed, revealing that one of the Italian side’s centre-backs tracked him into his own half.

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“Their centre-back marked me in our half. We should have done that as a team too, but we didn’t manage it,” he said.

He warned that allowing opponents who rely on short passes through the middle to operate freely would leave United vulnerable, particularly on the flanks.

Como took the lead just two minutes into the encounter through Nico Paz before Tassos Douvikas doubled the advantage in the 49th minute.

Paz struck again eight minutes later to put the Italian side firmly in control, while Jacobo Ramon added a fourth goal in the 76th minute. Joshua Zirkzee scored a late consolation for United.

Reflecting on the performance, Fernandes admitted that the team had failed to meet even basic expectations, highlighting recurring problems with conceding early goals and applying pressure on opponents.

“This is not the first time we’ve been caught off guard and the opposition have scored early,” he said.

Assessing United’s overall display, the captain added: “Hardly any pressure on the ball, hardly any good movement with the ball, hardly anything went right for us.”

Carrick substituted Fernandes in the 67th minute, bringing on Zirkzee, who subsequently scored United’s only goal of the match.

The heavy defeat has intensified scrutiny of Carrick, who initially assumed interim responsibility following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal in January before being retained after United’s strong finish to the previous season.

United’s difficult start to the current campaign has further heightened concerns, with the club collecting just seven points from their opening seven Premier League matches and facing the prospect of falling behind in the race for a top-four finish.

Their European campaign has also suffered a setback. The defeat to Como marked United’s second loss in three Champions League matches, following a 2-0 away defeat to Atletico Madrid. Their only victory came against competition newcomers Sabah FK, whom they beat 4-0 in their opening fixture.

Reports in the English media suggest that Carrick’s position is under increasing threat as pressure mounts on the club’s management to arrest the decline.

The manager, however, has accepted responsibility for the disappointing performance.

“It is more than disappointing. I take 100 per cent responsibility for the entire team and the performance,” Carrick told TNT.

Asked whether he retained the backing of the club’s hierarchy, the 45-year-old declined to focus on his personal situation, insisting that the priority was to assess the team’s shortcomings.

“It’s not about me, but about processing the game and looking at how it went. I think that’s the most important thing at the moment,” he said.

Carrick’s contract runs until the summer of 2028, but United’s poor results have increased the pressure on him to deliver an immediate improvement and restore confidence in the team’s tactical direction